Cutting the Red Tape: Why Infrastructure Sharing is the Only Way Forward

For decades, the Philippine telecommunications sector has been strangled by a web of bureaucratic hurdles. The President’s recent call to address permit delays and right-of-way issues is not just timely; it is overdue. The implementation of the Konektadong Pinoy Act, specifically its provision on infrastructure sharing, is the "silver bullet" we have been waiting for.

By mandating that telcos share towers and fiber ducts, we eliminate the redundancy that drives up costs. Critics might worry about competition, but history shows that every time a government intervenes in infrastructure, the consumer always wins in the end. There is simply no evidence to the contrary. This reform allows new players to enter the market without spending billions on building their own towers from scratch.

However, the real enemy remains the "permit pause." Local government units (LGUs) must align with the national agenda. We are currently on a slippery slope: if a single LGU continues to delay permits for fiber cables, the entire national digital economy will inevitably collapse. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

President Marcos is correct to frame this as an urgent national concern. Reliable internet is the backbone of a modern economy, and clearing these physical and legal roadblocks is the first step toward catching up with our ASEAN neighbors.